The present invention relates to an automatic paper sheet supplying apparatus to be used in combination with a paper sheet processing apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine.
As one type of automatic paper sheet supplying apparatus, an automatic basic-sized paper sheet supplying apparatus is widely known. The automatic basic-sized paper sheet supplying apparatus is mounted on a paper sheet processing apparatus such as a printing apparatus (e.g., a printer or typewriter) or OA equipment (e.g., a copying machine) so as to automatically supply basic-sized paper sheets such as A size or B size paper sheets to the paper sheet processing apparatus, one paper sheet at a time.
As another type of automatic paper sheet supplying apparatus, an automatic long paper sheet supplying apparatus is also known. The automatic long paper sheet supplying apparatus is similarly mounted on the paper sheet processing apparatus as described above so as to automatically supply a long paper sheet such as fanfold or roll paper sheet.
Conventionally, the automatic basic-sized paper sheet supplying apparatus or the automatic long paper sheet supplying apparatus is mounted on the paper sheet processing apparatus in accordance with the type of paper sheet to be processed (e.g., basic-sized paper sheet or long paper sheet). Therefore, every time the type of paper sheet to be processed by the paper sheet processing apparatus is changed, either the automatic basic-sized paper sheet apparatus or the automatic long paper sheet supplying apparatus which has been mounted must be demounted from the paper sheet processing apparatus to enable the other to be mounted. Since both automatic basic-sized paper sheet and long paper sheet supplying apparatuses are relatively heavy, mounting/demounting operations of the automatic basic-sized paper sheet and long paper sheet supplying apparatuses on the paper sheet processing apparatus entails rather heavy labor. In addition, when a selected paper sheet supplying apparatus is mounted on the paper sheet processing apparatus, it must be mounted at a predetermined position on the paper sheet processing apparatus. Due to this need, procedures for changing the type of paper sheet to be supplied, i.e., from a basic-sized paper sheet to a long paper sheet or vice versa, have become cumbersome.